The present invention relates to a motor vehicle having exterior lateral side rails in the area of a passenger compartment, which are adjoined by additional side rails in the forward structure of the vehicle and/or in the rearward structure of the vehicle. The said rails are provided in particular with a right-angle bend. Elements which reinforce the vehicle body are connected with the side rails, on the one side, and/or an underbody or underbody components on the other side. The reinforcing elements comprises a first V-shaped strutting which extends in a horizontal plane in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and is connected with a second V-shaped strutting which is arranged in an approximately vertical transverse plane. The first strutting is fastened by means of its free ends to the side rails and is fastened to the second strutting by means of its ends which face away at a common connecting area. The second strutting is supported on the side rails by its free ends.
An arrangement of the above-described type is shown in German Application P 42 44 216.8 in which the individual struts, which extend in a horizontal plane and are arranged in a V-shape, are each of one piece construction. By means of one end, the individual struts are each connected to the side member of the vehicle body and, by means of their other end, they are connected with the other individual struts which are arranged in a vertical plane and also in a V-shape. For the accommodation and support of link bearings, a lateral support part is used which is provided between the individual struts and the vehicle body or the side rails of the body and which itself forms an opening for the guiding-through of a drive shaft. The horizontally arranged individual struts are arranged with this support part in such a manner that a high-strength connection to the vehicle body can be established.
An object of the present invention is to provide a motor vehicle having struts which reinforce the vehicle body, are easy to mount, simplify the installation and removal of the drive shaft and ensure an accommodation of links of a wheel suspension which is precise in its position, also when forces act upon the wheel.
This and other objects are achieved by the present invention which provides a motor vehicle comprising exterior lateral side rails in a passenger compartment area, additional side rails in at least one of the forward structure and in the rearward structure of the vehicle, the additional side rails adjoining the lateral side rails and having a right-angle bend. At least one vehicle body reinforcement element is connected between the side rails and an underbody, the reinforcing element having a first V-shaped strutting which extends in a horizontal plane in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a second V-shaped strutting which is arranged in an approximately vertical transverse plane. The first strutting is connected to the second strutting, the first strutting having first free ends fastened to the side rails and second ends fastened to the second strutting at a common area, the second strutting having free ends supported at the side rails. U-shaped support parts are coupled to the side rails and extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The first strutting has at least two individual struts, and the individual struts have abutting ends held in the U-shaped support.
Some of the advantages of the present invention are that the lateral support parts are connected with the side rails of the vehicle body such that, after a section of an individual strut is removed, the propeller shaft can be installed or removed. Furthermore, because of the smaller overall length, a fastening of individual struts is simpler than that of a one-piece strut.
The individual struts are arranged at an obtuse angle with respect to one another which is required because of the common fastening point between the horizontally and the vertically arranged individual struts.
In particular, the one horizontally arranged individual strut, which, with respect to the driving direction, is situated in front, is connected via two fastenings with one column-type leg and via another end-face fastening with the other column-type leg of the support part. As a result, a torsion-resistant support part is formed which ensures a precise positioning of the suspension links in bearings of the column-type legs of the support part, in which case forces acting upon the wheel can cause no change of the position or a torsion of the support part.
Furthermore, the horizontal individual strut, which, with respect to the driving direction, is situated in the rear, is connected on the foot of the column-type leg together with a cross member via a single screw, the free ends of the individual struts being connected with the vertical individual struts, and thus a support is ensured between the side rails.
The lateral support parts are constructed, for example, as cast parts and, in addition to the integrated bearing receiving devices for the wheel suspension links, also each have a receiving device for a transmission bearing as well as a receiving device for a stabilizer suspension. Molded-on devices are also provided for the fastening of another cross member.
The horizontal individual struts consist, for example, of a U-profile, which is open in its cross-section, or of a hat-shaped profile. In contrast, the vertical individual struts comprise a tube or a profiled strut.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.